


Friends

by gala_apples



Category: X-Men (Movies)
Genre: Friends With Benefits, Hand Jobs, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-15
Updated: 2012-05-15
Packaged: 2017-11-05 09:49:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/405059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gala_apples/pseuds/gala_apples
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John is new to the school and luckily enough makes friends with the right people.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Friends

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the Tori Amos lyrics "This is your posse bonus, this is your extra, this is your posse bonus, because I like you".

John finds it a bit ridiculous that on his first day he still has to go to classes. He thinks he's had enough of a shock that he deserves a day off to acclimatize to a school for freaks like himself. The bald man calling himself Xavier thinks otherwise, and gives him a notebook so he can go straight from the office to class.

The teacher is the one that picked him up in the first place. John had set fire to a group of jocks that had flung him down into the snow and shook out his backpack. They'd started smoking his cigarettes, then flicking cigarette butts at him, feet kicking out enough to keep him down. He'd tried to stop himself, just like he'd been restraining himself for the last year. Them beating on him was a step away from him murdering them; he wished them dead but John certainly didn't want to do it himself. But then one of them had called him a fag, and there was nothing he hated more then idiot homophobes. His temper had flared, and so had the small flame from the Bic. Some stoner had the brains to run inside and grab the nearest fire extinguisher, and the next thing he knew he was being locked into the principal's office.

As he sat, wondering if it was going to be his parents picking him up or the police, wondering which one he'd prefer, a tall man with strange sunglasses had walked in. He'd explained that if John wanted to leave they had to leave now, and seeing as there was nothing John wanted more, the teen had practically ran out of the school.

Scott Summers, John thinks he remembers. He can't be sure though; the entire drive he'd been listening to his iPod, trying not to panic, and he hadn't paid attention to any of the man's talk. The further away they'd gotten from the school, the more John could think of that he'd left at home, things he wanted but would never be able to get back. He scowls as he takes a seat as far to the back of Summers' class as he can. It will be very surprising if his stuff is still intact a full three hours after his escape. He isn't the only one in the family that likes fires.

He opens the notebook and begins doodling on the first page. He's not a good artist, but there's not a chance he's going to copy down Summers' notes. He hasn't gotten his wits back yet, there's no sense trying to remember these parts of the heart if when he goes to write a test he associates these definitions with his anxiety. He'll start to have a panic attack, and if anyone near has an open flame, they're dead. He knows his triggers and he knows better than to copy from the overhead. He's also knows enough to ignore the class around him, he doesn't want to hear from others. He'd be better off with his iPod, but something tells him Summers would object if he puts his headphones on.

It takes the teacher calling his name for John to tune back in, and even then he's not entirely sure what's going on. He listens to the teacher's speech for a moment before realising that the man is introducing him as a pyrokinetic, and a new member of their school. He hopes Summers isn't expecting him to stand up and tell the class a few things about himself, because that's just not going to happen. John couldn't stand up if his life depended on it.

"I'd like every student to write a note of advice to John. I believe this is his first time meeting other mutants, as well as the first time he's been away from home. I know there is a lot you can share with him about the ins and outs of this school."

John groans, at least on the inside. He doesn't need- a quick look around the room- twenty teenagers opinions on what a new student can do with himself. He got kicked out of his last school because of the attitudes of others, he doesn't need more trouble. He looks back down at his notebook and starts drawing stick figure illustrations for Macbeth.

At the end of the class Summers gives him a clap on the shoulder and hands him the twenty notes. He's only halfway down the hall when an Asian girl in a yellow jacket comes running towards him. John flinches automatically, associating people coming too close to him with pain. "Hey, I'm Jubilee. I suggest you take Alison's note out, that is if she's signed it. She'll either be a bitch, or want to hook up, either way you're not interested."

"I'm not interested in hooking up with some chick?" Of course he isn't, but he wants to know why he shouldn't be.

"No, you're not. She's a bitch. Have you had anything to eat recently?"

"Breakfast before I narrowly escaped arrest this morning."

"Well then, I'd say it's time for lunch." Jubilee takes his hand and leads him through a series of hallways ending up in a large room with twenty large circular tables. Against one wall are trays of food with light shining down, looking nearly identical to a buffet restaurant. John doesn't really feel like eating, but grabs a roll so he can pick at it. Jubilee gets a plate of food and John waits patiently, wary but open to the first sign of possible friendship.

Once they're sitting, backpacks tossed on an empty chair, John begins to tally all the things he doesn't know about this place. Most likely most were answered within Summers' speech on the drive to the school, but John can't be held responsible for retaining information originally learned while panicking. "So how do things work here? That bald man only talked to me a minute."

"Xavier? Yeah, he gets busy. We have a theory he's trying to save the world or something." Jubilee says around a mouthful of chicken. "It's supposed to be a school for mutants, so we can learn all the stuff it's not safe for us to learn in high school. We get real graduation papers, and if we want to, Xavier arranges so we can go to a university, if we don't have the money."

John thinks about the sheer impossibility of university education and snorts. Four hours ago in his old life, university was never an option. There wasn't a chance his parents would loan him money, most of their own being saved for trivial enjoyments like a larger television every year. Now it's impossible for another reason; burning Jack had felt eerily good. John isn't sure he can trust himself around assholes anymore, and surely there's at least a few at every university.

"Of course, we learn more than normal high school stuff. All the teachers are really big on control, learning how to manage your power. Makes sense that it's a big thing, half of us are here for having a public meltdown of some sort. And once you can control yourself then you learn the fun stuff; how you can make your power defensive and offensive."

Already John can think of a dozen ways to use his power. He's never been accused of lacking imagination. It'll probably be the control thing he'll get hung up on. Control has never been his best skill. 

"The bedrooms are upstairs. You can stay in an individual room for a few days but they'll expect you to make a friend and move in with them, there aren't enough bedrooms for everyone to have their own and more mutants come every month." John winces at the idea of sharing a room. How is he supposed to jerk off in peace? Besides, as high school as proven, he's not the best at making friends. He rips his roll open and tears a corner off the top, beginning to roll the bread between his thumb and index finger.

Jubilee sees the expression. "Shared rooms are better anyway, they've got computers and small tvs, and carpet instead of hardwood." She sees that expression too. "It sounds stupid, but no one likes hardwood in the winter when you're stepping out of the warm bed to the freezing floor."

She waits for a comment, when there's nothing she starts again.

"Classes are with Mr Summers, professor Xavier, Ms Munroe, Ms Grey, and Mr Knight, we just sort of cycle through them. There's not enough teachers for true grade separations, so it goes by age unless someone is really far behind, then they'll be put with their skill level until they get smarter. There are four classes, the sixteen and seventeens and older if there are any, the fourteen and fifteens, the twelves and thirteens, and the under twelves." 

"There are under twelves?"

"Yeah, you'd be surprised at how cruel some people can be to mutants, even kids. Or maybe you wouldn't, I don't know." Jubilee adds the last so casually that John wants to tell her about his past. If she had been forceful in attempting to gather information there wouldn't be a chance he'd tell her, but having her so neutral towards finding out makes him trust her a bit more. Still, he's not quite ready. What if it's a ploy? In grade nine Jasper Ross had pretended to be his friend for over a month to gain the perfect set up for a prank on Jack's behalf. John knows better then to believe in instant friendship, as much as he craves it.

Instead of revealing anything, he begins to look through his advice notes. He quickly notices a strange trend. "I got four notes informing me to be friends with Bobby. Who's Bobby?"

Jubilee's face screws up as she scans the lunch room. "See that guy with the streaky blond brown hair? That's Bobby. I'm surprised four people wrote that, he's only got three friends. Everyone else pretty much ignores him."

"Why?" The structure of alliances is crucial to figure out as soon as possible, something he learned the hard way in his first high school, and a lesson used for every subsequent high school in the last three years. It can only apply more when he's to be living in a high school.

Jubilee stabs her bowl until she's got a forkful of lettuce. "Bobby's a bit...touchy feely. It creeps some of the guys out, especially the ones with rougher LBX's."

"And that stands for..."

"Oh, sorry. You pick up a few codes and things when you're here awhile. I was one of those under twelves. Stands for Life Before Xavier. Anyway, Bobby's just a very huggy person, and most of the guys don't do hugs. Probably comes from growing up in the middle of happy suburbia, a kiss and a hug every night before bed. The girls don't seem to mind as much, and he can give a great back massage."

"So, if the guys don't like it but the girls do, why doesn't he hang out with the girls?" It's basic common sense, really.

"Oh, you'll notice that there's a lot less mixing of gender groups than at a normal high school. No one really wants to develop a crush on anyone else. Hormones can do a lot of things to someone with unstable powers. Don't ever tell her I told you, but Kitty still phases through the bed every time she tries to masturbate."

John doesn't point out that he has no idea who Kitty is, or what phasing means. Though it does explain why they've made everyone get a room mate, if getting off can be dangerous. "And you talking to me?"

"Well, I'm hardly going to develop a crush on someone of the opposite sex, am I." Jubilee sounds amused around her mouthful of salad.

"You're a lesbian?"

"Sadly, not a practicing one. Not that I'd call what I want to do _practicing_. There's no one else here of interest."

"Are you out?" To John it seems like the most unfathomable thing.

"You think a school that accepts 'mutant freaks' wouldn't accept queers? No one cares who you're attracted to, as long as you don't cause everyone to collapse when you talk to the person you're crushing on and your voice slips." As John's raised eyebrows Jubilee adds "A girl, Syrin, her screaming can burst eardrums and probably kill someone if it goes on long enough. Anyway, you should really eat some of that bun, we still have a few classes this afternoon before you can curl in a ball and fall asleep."

It still doesn't make sense to John that a bunch of guys would inform him that Bobby's the best person to be friends with. Ignoring Jubilee's advice, he stands. He leaves his bag with her, hoping that he's right in his trust and begins to cross the room. Before he makes it, Bobby stands and leaves the table.

Far from his panic and shyness earlier, he stands at the edge of the table and demands "Why do you want me to be friends with your friend?"

"Look, we can't talk about this here." The blonde nods his head towards the nearest table full of girls. 

"Are you guys planning on being some sort of bullshit arch villains? Because I'm not interested."

"Shut up and let us speak of it at another time." A thick football player type says, accent heavy.

"It was you that wrote those notes, right? The four of you want me to be the fifth Marauder?"

"Bobby didn't write one, I'm sure he wouldn't have. He's not like that." The brown skinned teen says.

"Not like what? What the fuck is going on?" God, normal high schools with bullies and jocks seems almost easy now.

"John, we'll talk about it later, okay? Seriously. I promise. But none of us are going to talk about it right now, and the longer you stand here the more likely it is that Bobby will come back and ask questions, and believe me when I say that you don't want that," the blonde says.

Frustrated by the lack of coherent answer, but clearly understanding that nothing is going to come out of trying to force it except possibly irritating the three enough that one would flash their power, John leaves the table. When he gets back to his own, Jubilee's got all his notes spread over the table. It should annoy him to have his private things looked at, but for some reason it doesn't.

"You got five telling you how to avoid various rules without gathering attention. Once you do Xavier or Grey will look in your head and you're fucked, they're both strong telepaths. But if you can avoid that you're set. Most are just welcome notes, and reminders to remember this is not home, this place is safe. But there was one telling you to avoid Bobby at all costs. And I recognise the handwriting, it's Jeff. He's Bobby's roommate."

"That's a bit strange, isn't it?"

"No, not really. They were initially friends, and then one day Jeff just freaked out, called him a pervert and all sorts of horrible names."

"So why have they stayed roommates, if they hate each other?" Aside from trying to figure out what alliance of teens he wants to join, John just plain enjoys listening to Jubilee's gossip. 

"Oh, Jeff radiates heat. Bobby's the only one who can stand being around him, his thing is with ice. They'll probably have you working with him in control and defence and offence classes, now that I think of it."

The rest of the afternoon goes easily, and though Jubilee shows him where most of the older teens hang out, a room with several video game consoles and a few foosball and air hockey tables, John decides he's had about enough for the day. He gets her to show him where the single bedrooms are, and he picks the one nearest the stairs. It's a small room, but comfortable, and there are clothes his size that aren't obviously donated or second hand in the two drawer dresser. 

The pillow has a locked leather journal with a small key. While John has no doubt that most wouldn't hesitate to spy on his thoughts, he figures if he keeps it in his backpack it'll give intruders less of an opportunity to look. He starts off with a list of things he's left at home, thinking that if they've provided him with clothes that fit, they might be willing to provide second copies of some of his well thumbed books.

There's a knock on the door, but they come in before giving him a chance to invite them. The three from lunch, and another boy with glasses.

"I thought you were desperate to not be talking to me around others," John does his best to tack on a smirk, he doesn't want to be the same wuss he was in high school. 

"He's writing an essay, it's okay to talk now." The tall accented one says.

"Why do you think I should be friends with him? Little scared boy need hugs?"

"No, although in that aspect it couldn't hurt to have someone with ice to fight against in active classes." The one with glasses says.

John's had about enough of being ignorant. He's going to make Jubilee skip class tomorrow and have her tell him everything she knows. "Why does everyone know my name and my business when I don't know anything about anyone else!"

"Don't be offended. Amber always blurts out details about any new visitor. It's not like she does it to offend anyone, she just can't control it when she reads someone new. Haven't you ever had trouble controlling your fire?"

John can think of a hundred incidences when he's burned something, but doesn't say anything.

"Look, I'm Sam, I can fly. He's Piotr, he's strong and can turn his skin to metal. He's Doug, he knows every language ever. He's Roberto, he can turn into solar energy. Okay? That's all we know about you, name and ability and now we're even." John wants to smirk at how the blond is trying to placate him, but doesn't. Better they think he's emotional and dangerous than someone to pick on.

"And for some reason you all want me to be Bobby's friend."

"It's not that we want it, it's more we recommend it." Douglas says. 

"Why would you recommend it? You're not even a friend, Jubilee says his only friends were sitting at the table with him, and you weren't there."

"That girl doesn't know half as much as she thinks she does about this school." Sam replies.

"Me and Bobby centre more around doing homework together than talking about sports or movies, that's all. She probably thinks we just work together."

"So, tell me, what's so fantastic about Bobby that you recommend his friendship? Does he do your assignments for you? Does he turn water into wine?"

"No. He's willing to help you out." Roberto says, heavy Portuguese accent.

"What?" He's supposed to be reading between the lines for this, but he's not getting it.

"When you're looking at the internet and there's a few ads of porn and you pop a stiffy, he'll help you out." 

John is amazed. 

"Doesn't mean you're gay or anything, not when you're not doing anything back."

But John is gay, and he highly doubts Bobby will mind if he does something back. "So, you're all friends with him because he believe in friends with benefits?"

"It's safer than trying to get a girlfriend. When you love someone your abilities get all messed up and out of control, but if it's just Bobby trying to help a guy out, then there's no love, so there's no problem."

"Before you look down on us, try going without fucking for two weeks, and then ask if you want a friend that'll make life easier." Doug says.

While it seems scummy, Doug has a point. He befriends Bobby. It's easy enough as the teen is so damn trusting. He starts a group discussion in English class then John approaches him in the evening. He introduces himself then asks Bobby to clarify and challenges his main point. After seeing the truth of Jubilee's statement when Bobby hugs a small cluster of girls each night before bed, John initiates his own hug. Bobby seems shocked but pleasantly surprised. John works at building a friendship and waits for weeks for his opportunity. 

Strangely, in that time, he really starts to like Bobby as a friend. They laugh at the same things, play the same video games. They have great arguments, and they try to read the same book at the same time so they can discuss character and motivation.

Then the time comes. Bobby is in John and Will's room, as Bobby never stays in his own. John doesn't ask, but figures that it must be awkward to live in a room with someone that thinks you're disgusting. They always have privacy, whenever Bobby comes Will leaves. He finds Bobby's way of rubbing someone's neck as they hunch over the keyboard creepy. 

John's typing the torrent site into his browser when his hand cramps. It doesn't surprise him, he's been writing his essay non stop since class finished, and it's already past nine. Bobby's going to have to leave soon, Will's going to want to sleep, but John wants him to listen to his favourite track on the cd first.

"Fuck!" he shouts, shaking his hand rapidly in an attempt to gain control of his muscles again.

"Stop flailing around and gimme your damn hand," Bobby says, chuckle hidden in his voice. John twirls his chair to the side and holds his arm out in anticipation. Bobby presses his thumb hard into what John now knows is called the hypothenar muscles thanks to Professor Grey's anatomy and biology class.

"This seems to happen a lot with you." 

"I'm always tense." John replies. it's probably part of his anxiety problems.

"Lean forward," Bobby demands. John thinks it's odd but he complies. Bobby starts massaging his neck and shoulders. the heels of his palms into John's deltoids. John groans when Bobby moves his hands so his thumbs dig in nicely against the base of his neck. 

John sighs in pleasure, Bobby's got a magic touch. He groans "You planning on being a masseuse after high school?"

"No, accountant actually." John thinks it's a waste of talent, but only sighs and leans into the touch.

Bobby bends further and begins to lightly worry John's ear with his teeth. "Do you want a full massage?" 

And it's not that John is stupid and can't see the hidden offer, he knows innuendo. He just doesn't feel like beating around the bush. "No, I just want you to touch me."

Bobby startles at his words. He can't see Bobby out of the corner of his eye, but the teen jumps and nudges his ear. John spins the chair so he's facing his bed, then stands and strips. When he scrambles on without bothering to move the blanket, a similarly nude Bobby does the same.

Bobby's hand immediately seeks his cock, and somehow it's wet with lube. John's is hidden, so Bobby must carry it on him, an idea that makes John shiver. John returns the favour, hand curling in a light grip around Bobby. 

"What are you doing?"

"I don't know how it works with Doug, but for me this is a two way street. Friends with benefits means we both benefit." It's sad how shocked he is, proving what John already knows, that Bobby's other friends don't reciprocate.

John jerks him for a minute but his hand is dry and it's more like pulling Bobby than wanking him. He moves his hand off and Bobby must think he's stopped for good, his groan makes John want to hug him. Instead he spits on his palm and puts his hand back. Bobby starts arching into the touch, hips unconsciously following hand. It reeks of need, but it also makes it difficult to jerk him off, so John keeps one hand on him while moving the other to his hip to hold him down. 

Bobby comes in nearly no time at all, the moaning a sweet noise in John's ears. It's about time Bobby's friends step up to the plate. Maybe it's the snippy queer in him that makes him happy they're being forced closer to the bisexual line of the spectrum. More likely it's a sense of what's fair. There should be benefits for both parties. And if they decide helping back is too gay for them, then all the more for John.


End file.
